How to clean pneumatic tools properly

Looking after your tools, whether they be manual or pneumatic, is essential for extending their service life. Investing in good equipment for sculpting stone is important, but aside from the properties of the tools, it is also absolutely essential to look after them properly to make sure they continue working for years to come, just as well as the day you bought them. To help you with this, we will give you two options for cleaning your pneumatic tools, so they are always in perfect condition.

First option: use a car brake cleaner spray

If when you’re using your pneumatic tool you notice that it isn’t working very well, that you’re struggling to control it properly, or perhaps it even jumps when you’re using it, we have the solution for you. The first thing you should do is unplug it and spray it with a bit of car break cleaner. This product will clean all the oil and any other debris from the surface, and will also dry very quickly.

After using the spray, shake the tool to make sure the liquid gets inside, then let the excess product drain out. Next you can also plug in the tool for 30 seconds to get rid of the excess product and dry the surface. Once you’ve done this, unplug it and use oil to lubricate it.

Second option: soak it in kerosene

If you’ve been working with the tool for several weeks and the accumulated dust has mixed in with the oil and become encrusted inside the tool’s internal air holes, this is the best solution.

The first thing you should do is find a container big enough to hold the tool that you want to clean, then fill it with kerosene and fully submerge the tool. We recommend soaking the tool for at least 8 to 12 hours, although if you have enough time you can leave it for longer. The kerosene will soak into the dust and oil residue and remove it from the surface entirely.

Once the set time has passed, shake the tool to get rid of any excess kerosene, then plug it in to clean off the excess (as with the previous option). To clean it properly you should hit it with a bit of force to remove any remaining kerosene. Then unplug the tool and use oil to lubricate it.

This process takes longer than the first option, but it is the most effective. But if you don’t have a lot of time and are looking for a simple solution, we’d recommend the first option.

We have all the tools for sculpting stone that you could possibly need.

At Rock&Tools we want to make sure your tools work perfectly for as long as possible, so you can produce all the pieces you want in the future. On our website you will find a very comprehensive catalogue with all the best tools for sculpting stone. If you have any further queries about the most suitable tools for you, go to our blog to find all the information you need or get in touch with us so we can advise you. Join our community! You can follow us here, in our Art Space and on social media.